Solenoid and valve assembly



March 19, 1963 P. MANGIAFlco Erm. 3,082,359

SOLENOID AND VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 26, 1960 United States Patent O 3,082,359 SOLENOID AND VALVE ASSEMBLY Paul Mangiatco, Paul J. Mangialico, and Eugene Seybold, New Britain, Conn., assignors to Peter Paul Electronics Company, New Britain, Conn., a firm of Connecticut Filed Jan. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 4,721 f 1 Claim. (Cl. 317-191) This invention relates to solenoid-controlled fluid ow valves, and i-s directed particu-larly to improvements in such solenoid and valve assemblies.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a solenoid and valve assembly of the above nature which will be waterproof, rustproof, spark proof, and reversible.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a solenoid and valve assemblyo'f the character described wherein the solenoid coil is housed in -a steel-reinforced thermosetting synthetic plastic material having Ia high dielectric constant, 4and wherein the valve portion of the assembly is threadedly received at' one end of the solenoid housing for easy detachability for repair a-nd replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a -solenoid and 'valve assembly of the |above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, compact, readily adaptable for operation at a variety of voltages, and which will be long wearing and highly etlicient in use.

Other objects, features and `advantages of the invention will be apparent -frofm the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. l is a top View of a solenoid and valve assembly embodying the invention.

FIG. 2. is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1, in the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2, in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and considering first the construction of -thesolenoid portion of the assembly, the numeral indicates a cylindrical solenoid coil wound of insulated wire on a tubular core 11 of a non-conductive material suc-h as a synthetic plastic, the ends of which project a short distance beyond each end of said coil.

Fitted over 4the top end of the coil core 11 `and seated against the top of the coil 10 is a paper insulating washer 12, against the outside of which is disposed a wa-shershaped steel llux plate 13 of substantially the same size.

An identical insulation washer 12 and ilux plate 13 are similarly fitted over the bottom end of the core 11.

A housing and yoke element 14, made from a wide steel band bent into rectangular shape, surrounds the solenoid coil 10 from top to bottom. The housing and yoke element 14 has top and bottom portions 15, 16, provided with central openings 17, 18, respectivelyv which sur-round Ithe ends of the tubular core 11 and tit, at their inner sides, flat lagainst the respective top and -bottom linx plates 1-3, 13.

'I'he yoke and coil assembly described above is impregnated with a thermosetting synthetic plastic material having a high dielectric constant to provide a tough outer casing 19 integral with an interior casing portion 20 lilling the voids between the solenoid coil 10 and the steel housing and yoke element 14. Insulated electrical leads 21 connected to the terminal ends of the solenoid coil 10 extend out through the outer casing 19 for connection to an exterior energizing circuit.

Removably secured to the bottom of the sealed solenoid assembly above described is a Valve assembly, comprising .ICCv

a tubular guide member 22, preferably of stainless steel, havingY a tubular sleeve portion 23 which extends up through the coil core 11, yand which is formed at its lower end with an externally threaded liange portion 24 which seats against the underside of the outer casing 19. v

The upper end of the sleeve portion 213 of the guide member 22 is internally threaded to receive an intermediate externally threaded section 25 of a cylindrical solenoid stop member 26, `screwed into said sleeve portion from the top end of the solenoid assembly. The'solenoid stop member 26 is formed with an annular llange portion 27 which seats against the upper end of the sleeve portion 23 of the valve bonnet 2,2. The upper end of the solenoid stopt member 26 is externally threaded, as at 28, to

receive a lock nut 29, ywhich abuts upon a l-ock washer 31 resting in a circular washer-like name plate 30, for

holding the valve bonnet 22 `and said stop member 26 lixed with respect to the -solenoid assembly. A slot 32 is formed in the upper end of the stop member 26 to facilitate assembly with a screwdriver.

'I'he inner end of the stop member 26, which extends about half-way through the solenoid assembly, is'formed with lan annular recess, within which is journalled a copper shading ring 33 which is employed when the device is to be operated on alternating current. A rubber or neoprene O-iing 34 is litted in a peripheral groove in the stop member 26 near the inner end thereof and serves to seal off the lower end of said stop member 26.

Slidably fitted within the lower end of the valve bonnet member 22 is a cylindrical plunger 35 having diametrically opposed longitudinal pressure relief slots 36. The upper end of the plunger 35 is axially bored to provide a cylindrical cavity 37, within which is disposed one end of a plunger compression spring 38, the other end of which seats Iagainst the lower end of the solenoid stop member 26. The lower end of the plunger '35 is provided with a cylindrical cavity 39 having a lbeveled annular outer end portion l40 of increasing size from the outer end inwardly. Molded Within the cavity 39 is a yieldable insert 41, such as rubber or other composition, the outer surface of which is flush with the lower end ofthe plunger 35.

Removably secured to the ange portion 24 of the guide member 22 is a cylindrical valve body 42, the upper end of which is formed with an internally-threaded circular vertical recess 43, threadedly received on said llange portion. The circular recess 43 of the valve body 42 is connected with a coaxial vertical annular recess 44 of reduced diameter having an interior wall in spaced relation to the outer peripheral surface of a reduced diameter outer end portion 45 of the guide member 22. An O- ring 45a is tted within the recess 44 of the valve body 42 to seal olf the interior of said valve body.

A pair of `diametrically opposed internally-threaded horizontal uid flow ports 46, -47 are provided in the lower end of the valve body 42. The port 46 communicates, through a transverse bore, with the interior of an up- `standing tubular passageway-i8, the upper e'nd of which terminates in 1an annular valve seat 49 of lesser diameter than, and coaxial with the outer end of the insert 41 in the plunger 35.

The port 47 communicates with an annular opening 50 formed in the valve body 42 surrounding the outer end of the slidable plunger 35 and the outside of the outer end of the tubular passageway 48. The ports 46, 47 are separated by a vertical central wall 51.

Operation As illustrated in FIG. 2, the plunger spring 38 normally urges the plunger 35 downwardly so that its ilush insert 41 will seal off the valve seat 49. It -will be apparent that in this position of the plunger, fluid flowing from Patented Mar. 19, 1963 3 one of the ports 46, 47 to the other, in either direction, will be yblocked by the Wall 51.

Upon energization of the solenoid coil 10 by current from the electrical leads 21, the plunger 35 will be drawn upwardly within the sleeve portion 23 of the guide member 22, to a position where it will abut the inner end of the solenoid .stop member 26, thereby withdrawing the insert `41 from the valve seat 49 and allowing fluid to ow through the valve body in either direction.

While the solenoid is especially designed to be energized by alternating current, it may also be operated by direct current, upon removal of the shading ring 33. Also by proper design of the solenoid coil 10, it can be made to operate at any desired voltage.

While there has been described and illustrated herein one form in which the invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to` be understood that this form is presented by way of example only, and not in a limiting sense. In short, the invention includes all the equivalent forms and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, wha-t is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

In xa solenoid-controlled fluid flow `valve, va solenoid assembly including a nonmagnetic plastic tubular core,

relatively large diameter in relation to its length ratio whereby the solenoid assembly will be maintained at a cool temperature, and will not overheat during use, and will operate with la constant A.C. voltage and wattage.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,544,209 Wolcott Mar. 6, 1951 2,574,762 Schell Nov. 13, 1951 2,582,351 Olson Jan. 15, 1952 2,619,986 Goepfrich Dec. 2, 1952 2,629,766 Vargo Feb. 24, 1953 2,745,625 Booth May 15, 1956 2,798,769 Whitson July 9, ,1957 2,845,585 Vincenzi July 29, 1958` 2,853,659 Herion Sept. 23, 1958' 2,951,506 Windsor Sept. 6, 1960 

